1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector with a cover to protect electric wires extended from a connector housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-27645 and FIGS. 16–18 herein disclose a connector with a cover for protecting electric wires that extend from a connector housing. The cover is formed as two longitudinal halves of a rectangular tube.
An engaging portion and a receiving portion are formed on each of the upper and lower butting walls that are butted against each other when the halves of the cover are connected. The engaging portions on opposed edges are disposed obliquely, and the receiving portions on the opposed edges also are disposed obliquely. The line that connects the engaging portions to each other crosses the line that connects the receiving portions to each other. Additionally the engaging portions of one half align with the receiving portions of the other half.
The two halves of the cover are reversed with respect to their axes, and the respective halves of the cover are mounted laterally on the rear end of the housing. As a result, the engaging portion of one half rides across the receiving portion of the other half and is locked to the receiving portion. Thus both halves are fit on each other, and the halves form a tubular cover mounted on the housing.
The end of the cover remote from the housing has an irregular holding portion that fits on the periphery of a corrugate tube and holds the corrugate tube unremovably. The electric wires extend from the corrugate tube and are inserted into the cavities of the housing through the path formed inside the cover.
The halves of the cover shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-27645 are intended to approach each other linearly after the engaging portion and the receiving portion butt against each other. The engaging portion should deform elastically in an expansion direction and should ride over the receiving portion. The engaging portion then should return elastically to its original state and lock to the receiving portion.
However, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the halves 101 may have an inclined posture when a pressing force is applied to the halves 101. As a result, both halves 101 butt against each other, and the engaging portion 102 may deform and ride obliquely over the receiving portion 103. However, the engaging portion 102 and the receiving portion 103 are not locked together. More particularly, each receiving portion 103 faces the butting edge of the opposed half 101. Thus, in connecting the halves 101 to each other, the posture of each of the halves 101 becomes unstable because the engaging portion 102 rides over the receiving portion 103 without engagement. Thus the engaging portion 102 is not subject to a high resistance accompanied by elastic deformation. Rather, the engaging portion 102 is subject only to a low resistance with no elastic deformation. Accordingly, the halves 101 are liable to be easily connected to each other in an inclined posture.
FIG. 18 shows a portion of the inside of the cover 100 where the electric wires W extend from an edge 112a of a corrugate tube 112. The electric wires W are introduced into the housing through the inner path of the cover 100 and contact the inner periphery of the corrugate tube 112. Sharply pointed burrs project from the edge 112a of the corrugate tube 112 due to a molding or cutting operation. The electric wires W are subjected to sliding contact with the edge 112a of the corrugate tube 112 due to shaking caused by vibrations of a traveling vehicle. As a result, there is a possibility that insulating coatings of the electric wires W will be damaged.
The invention has been made in view of the above-described problems.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a cover that facilitates connecting both halves of the cover together.
It is another object of the invention to prevent damage to electric wires by holding the electric wires in a cover without contact between extended portions of the electric wires and an edge of the corrugate tube.